NEARLY 1,700 football fans are facing fines after zero-tolerance parking attendants cracked down on match day parking.

NEARLY 1,700 football fans are facing fines after zero-tolerance parking attendants cracked down on match day parking.

A team of 18 attendants has issued 1,661 tickets during matches at Anfield and Goodison so far this season. The so-called enforcement officers are handing out more than 100 tickets each game.

They have already issued half the total number of tickets given by a 10-man team during last season's 48 Everton and Liverpool home games.

Football fans caught parking in a restricted zone face a £60 fine, which is reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days.

The crack-down comes after local residents complained they were unable to park outside their homes during matches. But fans say they are the latest victims of Liverpool's zero-tolerance parking regime.

Mick Gillon, a life-long Blues fan who has had a season ticket for 30 years, was fined £30 during the recent Everton home match against Leeds.

Mr Gillon, 46, from Everton said: "Parking has been a problem for years but they can't just spring this on us. They need to come up with more solutions."

A spokeswoman for Citilink, the company responsible for managing parking in the city, said: "The step up in patrols is because residents requested more enforcement officers in that area on match days."

Anfield Liberal Democrat councillor Kiron Reid said: "This is exactly what residents wanted. It has got worse this season because Everton are doing better and attracting bigger crowds." nParking attendants have served 147,772 tickets since parking enforcement came under council control 15 months ago.

The 66-strong team of Citilink attendants handed out five times more tickets than the Merseyside Police traffic wardens who used to enforce parking.

Drivers were hit hardest in May 2003 when 12,181 tickets were handed out, 435 a day.